Key Takeaways
- Team fundraising gear works because it's a purchase, not a donation ask — players buy things they'll actually use.
- The best fundraising items are inexpensive, visible on court, and ideally consumable so they sell again.
- Pre-selling before you produce is the single biggest risk-reducer, and most teams skip it.
- A local sponsor will often cover your upfront costs in exchange for logo space on the item.
- Plan 6–8 weeks out — custom production and shipping typically run 4–5 weeks after you approve a design.
Car washes and bake sales raise money once and disappear. Branded team gear raises money and then keeps working — every item sold puts your program's name on a court for the rest of the season.
This guide covers how to actually run a gear fundraiser: choosing the right item, pricing it, de-risking the order, and building a timeline that doesn't collide with your season. Running an event alongside the sale? Our guide to how to run a pickleball tournament covers pairing merch with entry fees and sponsors.
Why Gear Fundraisers Outperform Events
The difference comes down to what you're asking for.
An event asks people to give up a Saturday and donate. A gear fundraiser offers something a player wanted anyway, at a price they'd pay in a pro shop. The ask is much smaller.
- No volunteer burnout. One order replaces a full day of parent labor.
- It scales past your immediate circle. Alumni, opposing teams, and pro shop walk-ins all buy gear.
- The branding is free. Every unit sold advertises your program for months.
- It repeats. A good item can run every season without feeling stale.
What Makes an Item Actually Sell
Not all merchandise fundraises equally. The winners share four traits.
- Low enough to be an impulse buy. If someone has to think about it, your volume drops sharply.
- Genuinely useful. Gear that goes on a racket gets used. Novelty items end up in a drawer.
- Visible on court. Visibility is what turns each sale into advertising for the next one.
- Consumable, ideally. An item players replace during the season sells more than once.
That last point is underrated. A one-time purchase caps your revenue at roster size; a consumable doesn't.
Matching the Item to Your Program
For tennis programs, the reliable performers are dampeners, overgrips, and grip bands.
Custom dampeners are the classic — small, cheap, and highly visible in the strings. Since custom mold shapes are included at no extra fee, you can sell a mascot-shaped dampener nobody else has, which is a genuine differentiator at a tournament table.
Custom overgrips are the consumable play. Players replace them every few weeks, so a team that stocks them sells all season rather than once. If you want one item that keeps earning, this is it.
Grip bands sit in between — durable rather than consumable, but cheap and easy to sell at matches. Not sure which is which? Our guide to overgrips explains how these pieces differ.
Pickleball programs run the same playbook with paddle grip bands and paddle overgrips.
How to Price It
Work backwards from what the item sells for in a pro shop, not forward from your cost.
Players have a reference price in their head for a dampener or an overgrip. Price near that and it feels normal; price well above it and the fundraiser starts to feel like a donation with extra steps.
Two things to fold into your cost before setting a price:
- Spread any one-time setup cost across the full order. On a larger run it's pennies per unit; on a small run it isn't. Do that math before you price.
- Assume you won't sell 100%. Build in some cushion so a few unsold units don't erase your margin.
A modest per-unit margin across a few hundred units funds real things — court time, travel, or a set of uniforms.
Pre-Sell Before You Produce
This is the step that separates a profitable fundraiser from a box of leftover merchandise in a coach's garage.
Take orders before you place the order. A simple form sent to players, parents, and alumni tells you your real demand instead of your hoped-for demand.
Pre-selling also gives you cash in hand before you commit, which matters if your program's budget is tight. Set a deadline and hold to it — open-ended pre-sales drift.
Let a Sponsor Cover Your Costs
Most local businesses will trade money for visibility, and gear is unusually good visibility.
Offer a sponsor logo space alongside your team's on the item. In return, they cover your upfront production cost — which means every sale after that is close to pure profit for the program.
Racket shops, orthodontists, and local restaurants are the usual yes. Lead with the number of people who'll see the item, not with the ask.
Working out what's realistic for your roster size? Get a free quote and mockup — no payment info required.
Building Your Timeline
Custom gear is made to order, so the calendar is the constraint most teams underestimate.
Production and shipping typically run 4–5 weeks after you approve a design, and you'll want time before that for the mockup and your pre-sale. Working back from your target date:
- 8 weeks out: pick your item, request a quote and mockup.
- 6–7 weeks out: approve the design, run your pre-sale, confirm quantity.
- 5–6 weeks out: place the order.
- Delivery: gear arrives ahead of your event or season opener.
If you're targeting a fall season or a specific tournament, count backwards now rather than in three weeks.
Common Mistakes
- Ordering before pre-selling. The most expensive mistake on this list.
- Too many options. Four colors and three items splits your volume and complicates fulfillment. Pick one hero item.
- Starting too late. Rushing production to hit a date limits your choices.
- Pricing on cost alone. If it doesn't feel like fair value on the shelf, it won't move.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best item for a first-time team fundraiser?
Dampeners or grip bands. They're inexpensive, easy to sell at matches, and visually appealing, which makes them a low-risk first attempt. Overgrips are the stronger long-term play because players keep rebuying them.
How much can a team realistically raise?
It depends on your sale price, your margin, and how many units you move. A few hundred units at a modest markup funds meaningful program expenses — request a quote for your quantity to run the actual numbers.
How far ahead should we start planning?
Six to eight weeks before you need the gear in hand. Production and shipping run about 4–5 weeks after design approval, and you want room for a mockup and a pre-sale before that.
Can we put a sponsor's logo on the item alongside ours?
Yes — full-color printing makes it straightforward, and it's the most common way teams cover their upfront costs.
What if we don't sell everything?
Leftover branded gear isn't wasted — it becomes welcome-kit swag for next season's roster, tournament giveaways, or thank-you gifts for volunteers and sponsors. Build a little cushion into your pricing so unsold units don't hurt.
Do we need a design ready to go?
No. If you only have a rough idea or a low-resolution logo, a design service can build print-ready artwork for you before anything is produced.
Ready to Plan Your Fundraiser?
At Match Point Promotions, every order is personally handled by Shawn — a lifelong tennis player who reviews and designs each product before it ships. Since 2017 we've helped 300+ teams, clubs and corporations turn custom gear into funded programs.
Request a free quote — tell us your item, rough quantity, and logo, and we'll return a mockup within 48 hours with unlimited revisions.
Match Point Promotions — #1 Source for Custom Tennis & Pickleball Gear
Questions? Reach us at info@matchpointpromotions.com